Do you try to measure everything you do in marketing with a number?
Chances are, if you read books like Traction, you or your clients will try to find numbers that correspond with every channel and tactic you perform.
And rightfully so! It’s a noble pursuit.
It’s good to try to attach a key performance indicator to every major activity you do. At least to give you a general sense of what’s working.
But here’s the thing: you can’t quantify everything you do in marketing with numbers.
It’s no different than trying to put a score on your friendship or marriage. Marketing is more like relationships than mathematics.
Sure, there will be a downstream effect on the culmination of all your activities in the near or long-term.
But sometimes, results may take years—decades even—to come to fruition.
Results may look like increased revenue or profits. Or more successful product launches. Or a big break that resembles an overnight success.
But that doesn’t mean you can quantify everything you do in numbers today. Sometimes, you have to depend on how certain things feel when you do them.
Measurement is important, but it’s not to be confused with pure reality.
You need both.